Chapter 22
"Ano?" tanong ko. Hindi siya umimik at umiyak lang sa kinauupuan niya. "A-anong sabi mo?"
"Ikaw ang ama ni Gabe..." she cried. "I had a DNA test for you and Gabe. You left your spare toothbrush at home the day pf the party and when Gabe was born, I asked if hey could get a sample from him. They tested it and you resulted positive in the paternity test. I've known it all this time Elmo. 7 years kong tinago dahil 7 years ka rin wala and I don't know where I can reach you. I thought na kapag bumalik ka, pwede kong sabihin agad sayo but when I saw you, all the anger came creeping back at me that's why I asked Benjamin to play along with me. I asked him if he could pretend na kami hanggang sa magselos ka pero I failed. You met Sally and started liking her. You were too blind to see me and too blind to see Gabe as your son..."
"Don't drag Gabe in this discussion. Itong issue na to sayo at saken lang to! Wag mong idamay ang bata."
"Damay siya dito Elmo! Anak natin siya and yet look at what's happening to us! Do you think this is the life I want for our son?! Yung magulong pamilya?! Yung may kanya-kanya buhay ang magulang niya? Do you think I planned this? No! I regretted everything the moment my son started forgetting about me. Pero hinayaan ko kasi andyan ka na. Nakikita kong masaya siya kapag kasama ka niya. Na kahit hindi niyo alam na magkadugo kayo ay kita kong masaya kayo pareho. I tried talking to you a dozen times but you always push me away. You always yell at me. You always tell me that I don't deserve to be Gabe's mom and you tell me that Gabe is better off without me. Kinimkim ko lahat to Elmo. Yung galit mo, galit ng barkada pati paglayo ng anak ko kinimkim ko para makahanap ng tamang panahon para sabihin sayo lahat ng to. Akala ko kapag sinabi ko sayo matutuwa ka. Akala ko kapag inamin ko lahat sayo, magiging maayos lahat... Tangina. Mahal kita okay?! Mahal kita pero bulag ka sa pagmamahal ko sayo dahil diyan sa galit mo saken!" pagkasabi niya nun ay mabilis siyang lumabas ng pinto leaving me alone in this empty rooftop.
"So alam mo?" Maine asked. We were at Maqui's place a week after my fight with Julie.
"She just sent me these this morning. Kaya nga pinapunta ko kayo agad dito eh." sagot ni Maq sabay lapag ng isang brown envelope. I took it and pulled out the paper inside. It was a DNA Test result. The first one was Gabe's and the other's mine. Binasa ko yun and we were 99% compatible which means, totoo ang sinabi ni Julie. "Ang hindi ko magets ha? Paano naging si Elmo ang tatay when I know for a fact na galing sa lab yung sperm na ininject sa kanya?"
"Look." she finally said as she showed me a vial. It was frozen and I don't know what it is.
"Ano yan?" pagtataka ko. Medyo kumalma na ko since wala naman pala kaming gagawing kung ano dito.
"Maqui brought this over. Ito daw yung donor ko para magkababy na ko." aniya. So that thing is a fucking vial of sperm.
"Kanino daw galing?" I asked. She shrugged saka na muling binalik yung vial sa maliit na cooler.
"Basta it came from the sperm bank. Anyway. Pinakita ko lang sayo kasi you're my bestfiend and I want you to know na isa ka sa mga importanteng tao sa buhay ko and that I trust you with all my life. Ninong ka ha?"
"O-oo naman. Ano ka ba. Tinatanong pa ba yun? You know I'll always be here for you." ngiti ko. She smiled back and even kissed me on the cheek.
"Sige. Babalik na ko sa baba."
"Uhm. Pwedeng pa-cr muna dito? Di na ata ako aabot eh. Naiihi na talaga ako." sabi ko.
"Yeah sure." tango niya. She closed the door behind her and I was left alone in her bathroom. I stared at the small cooler and opened it. I looked at the vial of sperm and though I was a bit disgusted, held it for closer inspection.
